1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor processing, and more specifically, to forming a bond pad and a passivation layer with a gap alongside the bond pad to contain splash during wire bonding.
2. Related Art
Wire bonds provide electric connections to underlying circuitry within a semiconductor device. The ball bond of a wire bond is attached to a bond pad formed on the semiconductor device. For example, copper is commonly used for the wire bond and aluminum is commonly used as the bond pad. The bond pads of a semiconductor device are physically separated from each other, and the spaces between adjacent bond pads typically include passivation. However, during the bonding process, when the ball bond of the wire bond is attached to the aluminum bond pad, the aluminum pad deforms resulting in an aluminum splash which extends from under the ball bond. This aluminum splash may result in passivation cracking. The cracks in passivation may result in reliability failures of the semiconductor device.